


To be a Hero

by Rex_Tindal



Series: FFXIV Drabbles [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Au Ra Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Broken Bones, Female Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Gen, Male Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Minor Character Death, Miqo'te Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Multiple Warriors of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:34:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26291962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rex_Tindal/pseuds/Rex_Tindal
Summary: 4.0 Spoilers!!!The Warriors of Light rush to the aid of Rhalgars, unprepared for what awaits them there.
Series: FFXIV Drabbles [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1907323
Kudos: 3





	To be a Hero

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warning!!  
> Minor characters die and my boy gets his leg fucked up!!

Rhalgars Reach glows red as fires blaze, and the screams of its people echo out into Gyr Abania with no hope of survival.

The Scions of the Seventh Dawn make haste into the fray, seeing friend and foe alike strewn about, lifeless. Rex steels himself for what is to come, and what they are about to see.

Manning the assault, P'eyra carves through foes with his axe and Aletheia sends foot soldiers flying with blow after blow of fists. Rex grimaces at the slaughter, stopping whenever he can to send a bit of healing aether into any wounded allies. 

The group continues on, dealing with wave after wave of Garlean troops with assistance from Krile, Alisaie, Alphinaud and Pipin. The group rescues the hostages held by the enemies and continues on into the bloodbath.

The group comes across a line, helmed by Fordola Rem Lupis, who grits her teeth and runs in to slash at Peyra. He blocks with his axe, and strikes back. Blow after blow is traded, until the enemy force is run down and Fordola steps back. 

Rex pauses, breathing heavily, "Everyone alright?" Aletheia nods, breathing out a held breath, and P'eyra grunts in affirmative. The group moves in to the tied up Lyse and the injured Y'shtola. "What took you so long?" Lyse says, Krile moves in to Y'shtolas injured body. "Alphinaud, Rex, I need your help!" Rex and Alphinaud move in, channeling healing aether into her body.

"My lord, the prisoners!" Fordola announces, "See to your men, Pilus." A man says, emerging from the shadows, fully ironclad, blade in hand. "As you command, my lord." Fordola says, retreating to reassemble her legion.

P'eyra and Aletheia tense up, ready to strike at the approaching man. Fear enters their eyes as they realize who that man is, Zenos Yae Galvus, the crowned Prince of the Garlean Empire. Aletheia squints at the man, wondering how exactly all of **that** ended up happening.

"Your friends were a disappointment, But you two.... You will entertain me, will you not?" Zenos says, sharpened steel glistening with a thirst for blood. 

"Zenos..." Aletheia glares, ready for the upcoming combat. P'eyra looks worried, the prince of Garlemald has been known for his combat and hunting prowess, and having a nutjob with 3 swords staring at him like he's some sort of beast.

"Let us begin." Zenos says, sword at the ready. "Let's go Pey!" Ale exclaims. P'eyra dashes in to strike, but is blocked by a blade, and Aletheias sends a punch to be blocked by Zenos' other hand.

Steel and fist ring out in the background as Rex sits, trying to concentrate on the injured Scion as best he can, hoping his friends can last without him. Rex channels as best he can, halting the blood loss and beginning to patch the blade wound. 

The crash of steel ends ceremoniously as a blast goes about the battlefield, sending P'eyra and Aletheia flying into the dirt with a unified cry. They struggle back to their feet, standing side by side to face the oncoming blades-master. Zenos flies forward, and with a single strike sends both of them flying. "Pathetic." He says, turning around and preparing to drop his blade.

"Hold it!" A voice rings out from behind Zenos. Rex stand at the ready, grimoire in hand and carbuncle flaming at his side. Zenos turns back, "Ah, the third one. Yes, I remember you. Not as promising as the others." Zenos holds his blade. "You are not a beast like I would hope for, you're a doe, ready for nothing but the slaughter." Zenos dashes forward, lunging for Rex's chest. A blast flies into Zenos, unaspected Aether slamming into him. Zenos shrugs off the attempt, and prepares to go for the kill. As his blade slices down, Rexs' Carbuncle suddenly jumps into the slice, turning into a puff of aetheric smoke with a whimper. "You are more of a trouble than it is worth it seems. If I am unable to remove this prey from the game by slaughter then I must defer to other means."

Zenos flips his blade in his hand, knocking the blunt end into Rexs' chest before he has any chance to react. Rex goes spiraling into the dirt, landing on his back, air knocked out of his chest. "Rex!" The other Warriors cry out, seeing their friend fall. Zenos takes his blade, and after hoisting it high into the air, slams it down by the blunt end into the bone of Rexs leg. A cry rings out into the bloodied streets of Rhalgars Reach, as a crack of bone rings out in its chorus. Zenos turns around, and tosses the blade into the dirt, satisfied with everything he has accomplished here.

Rexs' eyes are hazy from tears, pain pulsing from his leg as he stares down at the damage. Rex cannot hold onto consciousness, as he sees the other Warriors and Scions trying their best to stand and come to his aid, and he fades into a painless slumber.

\------------------------

_Step, Step, Step, Step_

Aletheia paces in the chirurgeons ward of Rhalgars reach. She paces for the injured citizens of Rhalgars, she paces for the Scions, those injured and those trying their hardest, and she paces for Rex, unconscious in a bed. She walks in the halls, waiting for any sort of info from the healers. She knows they're currently understaffed and stressed but she cannot help but be worried. After Zenos' attack, all the Garlean forces retreated and left the Reach a destroyed mess. The injured were gathered up and then transported to the wards, filling what few beds they had. The scions had crowded by Rexs' body, Alphinaud doing his best to heal any immediate injuries and P'eyra quickly scooping him up to rush him to the healers. God, he looked so pale and lifeless, so much unlike the shy Au Ra she's come to know on their journeys.

Aletheia paces, until eventually, Krile comes outside the ward. "Krile! Do you have any news on Rex?" Alethia quickly asks, "I am afraid not. The healers here are in short supply, and I have been unable to hear anything about his condition." Krile says, shaking her head. Aletheia slumps, filled with worry. "If you'd like to assist, I know they always need more supplies, please go speak to the couriers from the Immortal Flames and see what they can spare. I know Rauhban and P'eyra have been assisting in clearing the rubble and saving anyone that may have been trapped." Aletheia nods, heading out to the open clearing of the Reach with a frantic energy, wishing she could do anything more to help.

She hurries to the courier, stationed by the once outpost started up by Rowena, who seems able to be able to start a businesses in any corner of Hydaelyn. The Flame courier turns to her, "Greetings miss, how may I assist you?" "I'm here to grab supplies for the infirmary, is there anything you can spare?" Aletheia explains. The courier hums, and then turns around, taking stock of what little they have. They put together what little medical supplies they have that haven't already been used in reviving soldiers, and hand them to her. "There you go miss, please give the infirmary my well wishes for those who have been injured." "Thank you!" Aletheia exclaims, and then begins to rush back to the building. 

Walking down the halls, Aletheia sees P'eyra standing there, talking excitedly with a chirurgeon. The healer looks over to Aletheia, "Ah, Miss Le'soros you're back! Just in time, the patient, Rex Tindal, has woken up!

\--------------------------

The first thing Rex notices when he wakes up is that, wow, this hurts less than he remembers. The second thought is that it's way too bright in this room. He lifts himself up to sit straight and survey his surroundings. 3 other beds reside in the room, 2 soldiers and a citizen lie in the beds, various injuries from burns to flesh wounds on each of them. One of the soldiers has had their fingers chopped off from when they were holding their spear in combat. Rex shakes with a contained fury at what the Garleans are willing to do, what his own _Father_ does without a second thought. 

The door of the room opens, and in steps a healer. They see Rex in his bed, "Ah! You're awake! Would you like me to get your friends before I give you the diagnosis?" Rexs nods to this, and stares down at the covers. The healer nods, and steps back out. 

Rex stares down, losing his sense of time to his thoughts. He knows it shouldnt, but what Zenos said got to him. He's never been as strong as the others that take the moniker of The Warriors of Light. Ale and Pey have stood in the face of countless hardships and came through stronger. They were the ones who fought Zenos while Rex sat back and didn't make a stand. Rex shakes, tears slip from from his face onto the covers. He hears muffled speech from outside the room, and looks up at the door. 

The door opens up and flies in P'eyra and Aletheia, "Rex!" A unified shout rings out, as they barrel into him in a hug. "H-hey you two.." Rexs voice is small, and he tries his best to sound strong. "Rex I'm so sorry I couldn't stop him-" "Are you alright? I cant believe he-" Two separate speeches come out of the frantic warriors before Rex shushes them. "I-i'm alright, there's no need for worry." 

"If I may have just a moment, I can tell you all the what we know about Mr. Tindals condition." The group look up expectantly. "So, from what we can tell, the break was surprisingly clean, you should consider yourself very lucky. It should be fully healed in a months time, but I don't think you will ever walk the same, you will probably have a limp from now on, I'm very sorry." The healer tells the group to apprehensive silence. Rex looks down, "I don't think it was luck, Zenos said he didn't want me dead, just broken enough to not be an issue." Rex spits bitterly. "That asshole!" Aletheia yells, with a cheer from P'eyra. 

Rex looks at his closest friends and thinks. He thinks about everything they've been through to come out greater on the other end, he thinks about his father, who wanted nothing more than to hammer combat and loyalty and having to climb up inch by inch by your own hands, no matter who you must drop to reach higher. Rex thinks about how he wants to be stronger, not for himself but to be good enough for those he loves, and how he has to be enough to protect them.

He looks up at Aletheia, and meets her eyes.

"Ale, how do I be strong?"


End file.
